Feasibility of quantum key distribution through a dense wavelength division multiplexing network

In this paper, we study the feasibility of conducting quantum key distribution (QKD) together with classical communication through the same optical fiber by employing dense-wavelength-division-multiplexing (DWDM) technology at telecom wavelength. The impact of classical channels on the quantum channel has been investigated for both QKD based on single-photon detection and QKD based on homodyne detection. Our studies show that the latter can tolerate a much higher level of contamination from classical channels than the former. This is because the local oscillator used in the homodyne detector acts as a 'mode selector', which can suppress noise photons effectively. We have performed simulations based on both the decoy BB84 QKD protocol and the Gaussian-modulated coherent state (GMCS) QKD protocol. While the former cannot tolerate even one classical channel (with a power of 0 dBm), the latter can be multiplexed with 38 classical channels (0 dBm power per channel) and still has a secure distance around 10 km. A preliminary experiment has been conducted based on a 100 MHz bandwidth homodyne detector.